


bitter, broken me

by manchestereye (orphan_account)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crying, Gay Dan Howell, Gay Phil Lester, M/M, Phil Lester Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-08 04:21:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20308783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/manchestereye
Summary: dan finds a cute stranger in the crying closet that doesn’t deserve to be sad





	bitter, broken me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icosmics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icosmics/gifts).

> didn’t really have time to write today but oh well
> 
> icosmics ily
> 
> prompt [here](https://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/174219068610/i-work-at-this-library-and-for-the-past-couple)

dan howell normally closed the public library every night at 8. it’s usually a simple look around to make sure every one is gone and that there aren’t any stray books around. it’s a tiny library, there’s not really much to look for.

there is, however, a crying closet. the students from the nearby university would always come here and cry, so the library made up a good solution for it in case they needed privacy or time to cool off. dan feels bad for the poor souls going through that at uni, but he’s definitely used that thing many a time before locking up the place for other reasons.

sometimes he’ll find people inside the crying closet when it’s time to close, and he has to awkwardly tell them to leave. today is no exception. there’s a man with an outdated emo haircut crying there, and dan’s heart breaks when he looks him in the eyes because this man is cute, and he shouldn’t be sad at all. 

“excuse me, sir. i’m going to have to ask you to leave because i have to close the place.” dan asks. the man sniffles before standing up.

“right, sorry. i’ll be out of your way.” he zips up his jacket before walking away and dan doesn’t really think much of it because there are other cute boys in the world. except other cute boys don’t have eyes that are triple colored and look like they’re supposed to be happy. oh well. 

dan drives himself home that night and makes a cup of tea before going to bed.

his shift the next day is a little bit boring, because it’s sunday and apparently people observe sunday as a religious rest day here in this town. dan just scrolls through twitter since even his boss isn’t here for him to be yelled at.

when it’s closing time, he checks the crying closet again. it’s the same man from yesterday. his eyes are red and he looks even more upset than yesterday. it’s not uncommon for dan to see the same person more than once in the crying closet, but twice in a row is a little bit odd. 

dan doesn’t ask people what their problems are, because it’s not his business at all, even though not being able to help sometimes makes him sad. 

he awkwardly tells the man to leave again, and the man apologizes before walking away hastily again.

dan just hopes that this guy has a better day tomorrow and that his troubles will be sorted out.

surprisingly, dan sees him  _ again  _ the next evening. 

dan doesn’t really know what to say, or do, or think right now. but he realizes he’s been standing there like an idiot, and shakes his mind out of it.

“closing time? okay, sorry for the inconvenience.” the guy says before standing up. his face is all puffy and red again, just like yesterday.

something within dan compels him to ask about it, since it’s the third day in a row.

“hey, so um, since you’ve been here for the past three nights, are you okay? normally i wouldn’t pry but this is mildly concerning.” dan says.

the man turns around back to dan. “oh, yeah i suppose. my job is just pushing me really hard and i hate it.”

“oh, i get that. here, let’s sit on the couch. i’m dan, by the way.” dan says, leading him to the reading area close to them.

“phil.”

phil rants about his awful boss and how working is just really difficult for him right now with his heavy anxiety. dan knows what it’s like to be in that position, back when he was working a shit job at tesco and injured his shoulder big time.

they talk for a while, forgetting that this place was supposed to be locked up already. 

“hey, this was really therapeutic for me, thank you. sorry for keeping you this late!” phil says when he finishes the conversation.

“no problem. i hope we can hang out sometime soon.” dan says. he hopes it doesn’t come off as flirty, because not every boy likes boys, and not every boy is single.

“oh! sure! i’ll give you my number.” phil smiles.

_ “his smile suits him a lot.”  _ dan thinks.

dan thanks him, and they go off their separate ways.

it’s relieving to not see phil in the crying closet the next day, but he does come by to say hi to dan. 

phil even sneaks a cheeky kiss somewhere along the way.

**Author's Note:**

> uwu pls kudos
> 
> tumblr: sudden-sky


End file.
